A Gun Show " Trick "

Last year i was at gun show up here in Maryland.
And a gun show vendor and his " accomplance " tried to pull a real smooth one on me.
It's really kind of humerous,and i'm not in the least mad,because it is comical.:D

I came up to the desk of the table where the vendor had an assortment of old assult rifle models.One of them was the Spanish CETME ,which all of you already know,is the predecessor of the H&K 91.
I picked-up the old piece-of-crap and cycled the bolt and held it up to sight it,but did NOT dry fire it.This is TABOO to do to most guns.
So....i'm holding it still and i'm noticeing its wooden stocks and whatnot.
Then out of nowhere this big burly guy comes running-up and says to the vendor " I've decided to add that CETME to my collection ! ".
So the vendor whips-out the paper-work and the dude starts to fill them out.
After about 10 seconds i lay the rifle back on the table.
Then the guy who is filling out the paper says,without even looking at me,
" You know...if YOU really want that rifle more than me i'll let you have it. I have a couple already."
I said " Thanks but i'm looking for something newer .":rolleyes:

I didn't stick around to see if the guys were scamming other folks who woud pick-up the rifle.:uhoh:

It was a pretty slick operation.I guess the vendor expected me to say " Hey ! i've got the gun in my hands ! I have first debs on it ! ":mad:
But this " Homie Don't Play Dat' ".:p
I saw through this Bull S:cuss: t scam in a New York second ! ;)

Iuno how much of a scam that seems like, but i dont really know if vendors are dumb enough to think that would work.

torpid

April 27, 2007, 06:30 PM

Ha ha!

To summarize:

:D :rolleyes: :uhoh: :mad: :p :cuss: ;) :)

Hoppy590

April 27, 2007, 06:33 PM

iv seen similar done in shops. its always one of the regulars

"wow, thats almost 1/2 of what i paid for one here just two weeks ago! timbob/hank/paul you trying to go out of business?!" * always folllowed by a REAL obvious wink

bensdad

April 27, 2007, 06:40 PM

I love the beginning of the movie "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels." The one guy is displaying his "wares," and the other guy goes, "That's a bargain! I'll take one!" Then everybody starts buying like crazy. :D

Sigdude

April 27, 2007, 07:17 PM

i was in a gun store looking for a .45 auto..
The salesman pulled out an old COLT 1911 and tried to get me " Excited " because it was manufactured by the Colt company which made it a "collectors item " !
It was only $850.00,and used to-boot.
A guy behind happened to murmmer,actually thinking-out-loud to himself, "damn ! you could buy a Kimber for that much ! "
The salesman gave the guy a quick look of disgust and gave out an audible sigh with his breath.
The salesman didn't lose the sale with me because of the stranger's remark.
I held-out for a Sig P220 st pistol which i eventually bought at another store.
They all have so-called " bait-and-switch tactics " that they use also.
But i wasn't born yesterday,and i see them comeing a mile away. :p

heypete

April 27, 2007, 07:32 PM

I was under the impression that dealers had to maintain 4473s, even if they weren't completed...I could be wrong, but if so, that would probably not be a bad thing for the dealer.

.cheese.

April 27, 2007, 07:39 PM

Not gun show related - but at the annual ham radio convention, I usually have a dealer booth with my father and some family friends who are all hams.

When people aren't really looking at our booth, I'll sometimes take off my name-tag, and walk around the aisle, then start "perusing" what's at my/our booth... just looking....

somehow it works... people will see somebody looking at stuff and figure there must be something interesting to look at.... once a few people are there, I'll just walk off and get a soda and then come back and ask what happened after I left.

It's not really a scam.... it's just getting people to at least look at what the booth has.

There is some psychological effect where if people see an empty booth, they assume there's either A) Nothing there... or B) They aren't possibly missing out on anything yet. By generating the interest for people to take a look (I don't say anything to them).... it often times will result in a sale or two.

230RN

April 27, 2007, 07:55 PM

Same principle involved with having a few store's employees park in front of the building. Joint looks deserted and closed if there are no cars parked out front.

And did you ever notice that "tip jars" are never empty? They put a couple of bills in there to "salt" it.

Ah, the power of suggestion.

Sage of Seattle

April 27, 2007, 08:04 PM

And did you ever notice that "tip jars" are never empty? They put a couple of bills in there to "salt" it.

Ah, the power of

The power of what?! THE POWER OF WHAT!???

OOhhh, the anticipation is killing me! :p

Machete

April 27, 2007, 08:17 PM

of suggestion (it's got camo)

Lupinus

April 27, 2007, 08:23 PM

I've done the tip jar thing, and it has never failed :neener:

Outlaws

April 27, 2007, 08:35 PM

I have had that happen...twice at the same table. I picked up a 1903 off the rack and the clerk goes, I think this gentleman is going to get that." Then he asks me to hand it over. I think nothing of it and just walk away without saying anything. About a half hour later or so I am making my second round and I pickup a restocked Krag. A different counter guy says, "I have someone going to get some cash for that thing. You want it?" I just said, "no thank you." Because I didn't want to buy it.
Then a few seconds later while I am looking at other stuff at the same table, the guy who supposedly wanted that 1903 was back at the table and original salesman who told me the 1903 was sold (he hasn't seen me) is telling some other kid that this same guy already has dibs on it but he is welcome to make a better offer.
At this point things upstairs clicked.
I walked right over to the end of the table and told the kid, "You are getting hustled buy these chumps. That old bag of bones ain't buying j@ck******."
I know I wasn't wrong because as I was walking away he started in on the kid with how I was upset he wouldn't sell for the price I wanted. I still get mad just thinking about it.

Sun195

April 27, 2007, 08:42 PM

When we sold our house, we actually attended the open house to see who was looking at it. The agent running the open house wasn't the listing agent, and nobody else there knew who we were, so we were just another "interested couple looking at the house". We saw the couple who eventually bought our house and I can't help but wonder if being there made them feel like someone else was going to bid on the house. This was at the height of the housing frenzy two years ago, so people were worked-up about the competition.

Rembrandt

April 27, 2007, 08:59 PM

I hate it when dealers use a big bowl of candy as table bait.....they get me every time!

Hoppy590

April 27, 2007, 09:06 PM

I hate it when dealers use a big bowl of candy as table bait.....they get me every time!

know waht gets me. the big bucket of junk. il always walk up and dig through it hoping to find something. an old mosin bolt, shotgun parts, bayonets what ever. everytime. big buckets of junk lure me in

Lupinus

April 27, 2007, 09:06 PM

next time spend most of the day at the other end of the show and before you leave just for chits and giggles wonder back over to the same table and (hoping they don't recognize you) see if it happens agian lol

Big Calhoun

April 27, 2007, 09:12 PM

What the OP seemed to describe was more like 'Baiting', planting a false idea in hopes of provoking an impulse buy. When a 3rd party is involved, it's Shilling; using a 3rd party to create excitement or enthuisiasm, again with the hopes of provoking an impulse buy and/or inflating the price. AFAIK, those are both the legal terms for those tatics and you may want to look at your local laws to see if any thing exists that prevents it or makes it illegal.

1 old 0311

April 28, 2007, 05:37 AM

I have a friend that Super Glues a Silver dollar on the floor in front of his table. :evil:

kennyboy

April 28, 2007, 07:47 AM

Are you sure it was a scam? I mean, it sounds like one, but did you think that perhaps the guy was actually buying the rifle?

Avenger

April 28, 2007, 08:48 AM

I've had dealers try that on my before. It's an old trick, but it works.

If you want a real example of the power of suggestion, try this trick. Go downtown in a city with tall building, and stand right in the middle of the sidewalk. Stare up at a random point on one the buildings. Move around a bit, like you are trying to get a better view of something happening up there. Look puzzled occasionally, or surprised, or amused. If anyone asks you anything, just look amazed and ask them, "You mean you don't see that?"
After a few minutes, if you are a good enough actor, you'll have a small crowd of people standing there craning their heads to see something that isn't there. Once a crowd of about 20 people builds up, it becomes a self-sustaining phenomenon, and you can leave. I once had about 75 people staring up at the Rhodes Tower in downtown Columbus.

Sigdude

April 28, 2007, 09:04 AM

I'm pretty sure it was a setup.
I mean...when you really want a gun....it's like you're obsessed with it.
When i bought my Remington Serendo at a gun show a few months ago i grabbed it and would NOT let go !:cool:
It's a beautiful stainless steel model with a fluted heavy barrel and a custom Precision bedded stock and it already has a Leupold base on it..It sells for $1200.00 brand new.
I immediatedly noticed that it was WAY underpriced and would not let go of it or return to the display rack.
After a few minutes the owner/dealer of the display booth came back and agreed to sell my the rifle for $600.00 cash out-the-door !
Yes,the gun was sold to me as" used ," but not a shot had been fired through it,it was,technically,still new !! :what:
We are like big kids with new toys,we don't really want to give them away,just maybe share them for a while .:D

Sigdude

April 28, 2007, 09:19 AM

I saw a scam go on in New York City called the " The Full Monty ".:eek:
It's a shell a game with a pea on the table and the guy shuffles them around and you try to choose the right shell that has the pea in it.
But the game is fixed and you lose everytime.
Anyway,it envovels at least three people.
The "partners" approach the table as "strangers" and start to win immediately.
Then the " suckers ", the real starngers, start to play.
They begin to lose their $20.00 bills in a real hurry.
One of the so called " winners " saw me waiking-up to the make-shift sidewalk table and gave me the " eyeball " up-and-down. :uhoh: :scrutiny:
She thought i was an undercover cop.
She started to have eye contact with her " artfull dodger team ".
They scammed a poor Jamiacan woman out of $60.00 in about 2 min..
A large crowd had gathered,and there's always a few suckers who are naive to America's slick and smooth tricks ! :evil:

Aguila Blanca

April 28, 2007, 10:18 AM

I was under the impression that dealers had to maintain 4473s, even if they weren't completed...I could be wrong, but if so, that would probably not be a bad thing for the dealer.
This came up awhile back in a different thread, and I recall asking about it and not getting any response. Suppose I'm filling out a 4473 and as I get part way through, the sales droid says or does something to make me change my mind, or he has already called in for the background check and gets a denial.

What's to stop me from folding up the partially-completed (and unsigned) 4473, shoving it in my pocket, and walking out of the store?

[EDIT]Just called the local gun shop. It's run by two retired LEOs who try to stay pretty squeaky clean with the BATFE and state firearms guys. They said if the form has not been signed and the transaction has not been completed, there is no requirement to keep the 4473.

CajunBass

April 28, 2007, 10:39 AM

I used to work part time in a fishing tackle store. I'd keep a rod and reel rigged up with a practice plug, and practice my "pitching" when things were slow.

It never seemed to fail that as soon as I did, a customer would come in. I'd get to talking to them while continuing to pitch the plug into a paper cup. Pretty soon, I'd be teaching someone to pitch. I don't know how many pitching rigs I sold like that.

GW

April 28, 2007, 01:50 PM

Used to work in an Army Surplus/camping store
Whenever we had a tent on sale, we'd move all but one to the back so there would be the display tent set up and just 1 tent still in the box. Most times, just seeing the last tent sitting on the shelf would insire the customer to buy. Sometimes though, when someone came in asking about the tent but wasn't quite sure One of the guys would go in back and phone the front. The guy up front would then yell back to me asking how many of x model do we have. To which I (or whoever was talking to the customer) would yell back "Just this LAST one in the box plus the display..."

Worked every time

Folks just hate to miss out on a deal

Colt

April 28, 2007, 06:08 PM

I've experienced something similar, and actually came out in good shape because of it.

A few years ago I was peddling a S&W 1911sc at the King of Prussia show. I was in the process of showing it to a dealer, who had a number of modern manufacture 1911's on display, including a brand-new 1911sc. He looked the gun over, and started in with the heavy sighing and the "I'm so bored about this gun I can barely stay awake" routine.

He finally made his offer, which was a joke. I know he's got to make some money for it to be worth his time, but he was really low-balling me big time. I just kind of smiled and reached out to take the gun back. Right then another attendee who had been browsing the same table asked "How many rounds have you put through it?"

The dealer looked at the guy, then rolled his eyes at me and gave me a "nice try" smile, probably suspecting the guy was my buddy, trying to help me get a better price. I just packed up the gun and told the guy who asked the question that I'd be at the end of the aisle if he wanted to look at what I had to sell.

I ended up selling it to guy for a fair price.

Sigdude

April 28, 2007, 06:33 PM

when " time share " vacations first started-up here in America,i got a post-card in the mail for a " Free " vacation to Florida.
When i called the 1-800 number i got a young African American man who answered the phone.The very first thing he said to me was this, " Oh Yeah ! This is a very popular vacation offer that we are offering,A.A.M.O.F.,it's in such demand,that i'm pretty sure all of our rooms have been taken.Please hold-on-the-line while i check the availability of this great offer!"
About 45 seconds later the man came back on the phone and said " Sir ! Sorry to keep you waiting,but you're in luck ! There's was a very recent cancelation and you now have the opportunity to take advantage of it ! "
I just sort of laughed and said " Sir....are through trying to yank-my-crank ?
Now would you please give me the details of this offer and please quit with the Bull Sh:cuss:t games because i'm at work right now and i have very little time !:mad: "
Anyway.....the guy STILL wanted my Credit Card number for this so-called
" FREE " vaction.
I was fed-up by then....and all he heard the next second was the sound of a dailtone.:neener:

pharmer

April 28, 2007, 06:50 PM

I think that any gun referred to as "rare" at a gunshow is definitely worth at least twice the asking price. I just have such a difficult time choosing among all the "rare" items. Joe

Sigdude

April 28, 2007, 06:52 PM

are just euphemisms for what they really are ;
Old pieces-of-junk !:eek:

EAFO

April 28, 2007, 08:02 PM

my wife called me rare and antique today.

:p

sm

April 28, 2007, 08:20 PM

I caught an old boy putting Dexron II transmission fluid into neat little bottles with a needle applicator.
Nice little label and planted folks in the show would come up and share how this special gun lube was really great!
$4 an ounce. He was selling this stuff pretty well.
-

I have seen the wheelchair / walker/ crutches bit too. Vendor has aches, pain, a sad story and folks to help the old boy out by buying his wares.
End of show, props tossed into van, as they are whole and just drive off...
-

I've seen known quality gun cleaning solvent, lubes "cut" (diluted) and sold as well.

-

Malls often have the same Name brand stores.
"Sidewalk Sale" was all the mdse that had not been sold, and kept together. Now some new "enticers" and "lost leaders" would be added to the clothing and other items out in the mall for sale.

End of this Sidewalk Sale, Mdse packed up, taken to next Sidewalk Sale and Repeat.
I knew some of the folks that worked this, they put a safety pin with a special marking and date in some ladies clothing...sure enough 6 months later it was still in the mix, again 1 yr later, one outfit made the circuit for 18months...
After a bit, donated to womens shelters or what not, and get a tax write off...

Sigdude

April 28, 2007, 08:22 PM

try eating three dozen oysters before bedtime.:)
That should perk things up !;)

Sigdude

April 28, 2007, 08:31 PM

has been out of gas for at least three years on a busy ramp-overpass up here on the Jones Falls Expressway in Baltimore,Md.
He even has the Balls to walk up to your car window at the red lights and ask you for a dollar or two for gas because his car is stranded on the side of the freeway below him.:o
But for three fu:cuss:king years ......dude ?!?! :banghead:

Get a job for Christ's sake.....

GW

April 29, 2007, 02:46 AM

try eating three dozen oysters before bedtime.
That should perk things up !